#paik sa eon

[kaafii]

When The Phone Rings-Episode 07 (Preview)

[sunlighthroughthe-ashes]

love resides in the commonplace — intimacy exists in the spaces of ordinary service: and paik sa-eon is the very embodiment of this kind of devotion — attention towards the minutiae of a relationship: the tiny acts of tenderness that can make or break a union.

the kind of devotion that says: "i'll wash these fruits for you so that it's safe for you to eat." "i'll lower the bed for you so you're comfortable while you sleep." "i'll take care of your everyday needs because that's exactly what i want to do — take care of you every single day."

there's a special kind of bittersweet longing leaking through sa-eon's eyes when heejoo begs him not to go — an inchoate ache as he cradles her hand to his face: almost as if his lips are anchoring themselves to her skin; reassuring his own self that she's safe, unharmed — still with him. still his to touch. still his to look after.

simple gestures are often how you measure the soul of a marriage — whether you're with someone who cares about the temperature of the water when he's washing your hair. whether you're with someone who'll dry it for you with painstaking carefulness.

as poet ilya kaminsky wrote: "soaping together — that is sacred to me / you can fuck anyone — but with whom can you sit in water?"

to sa-eon; heejoo is as inevitable as the weather — an endless force in his life. a forever presence: someone so threaded to the fibers of his being that he can't help but say: "tell me how to hate you: (because i'm physically incapable of looking at you with anything but love.)"

[jaehyum]

the way they look at each other

[midwesthoughts]

I love how the director flimed little naunces of these looks of Paik Seon, like he genuinely gets effected by the way Heejoo directs her gaze, he doesn't wanna miss out on her little expressions and that's because he YEARNED to listen to the sound of her voice, because in THE WORLD OF CHAOS SHE WAS WAS HIS SAFE HOUSE.

Even sharing the podium was too precious for him that the minute he finished his speech... he immediately turned his whole body to see HER

her smile, her contentment, her joy...

Even from the childhood Hejoo was/is/will always be his lighthouse, the shining star in dark night, the sudden of oxygen to a near death person, the one and only saviour.

and all these "look up glances" are infact evidence that he made himself just a mere content in Heejoo's whole book. Her impact is infact larger than his life itself.

and that's why his line " If one day Paik Seon disappears from this world or leaves this title, just know that the Paik Seon I wanna leave behind is the one that ONLY BELONGS TO HEEJOO.

[ranjish-hi-sahih]

give me a man with nice hands that he keeps flexing while wearing a wedding ring

[dllamarama]

Paik SaEon is the real caveman of this era... like what do you mean you married your fiancée's stepsister to save the said stepsister from marrying a total asshole. but, you are also acting like an asshole to the said stepsister that is now your wife. can't you be normal and just fcking confess that you had a crush on her and you want to protect her? why are you complicate things for yourself and treat your wife as if she is invisible? the angst, the sexual tension, the jealousy, the caveman instinct, the heart eyes you hide from her in the beginning of your marriage. dayummmmm, this drama is keeping me at the edge of my seat and i love it.

yes i love the male lead that is borderline red flag but will slowly learn his way and turns to a green flag and finally becoming the real fool and hopelessly in love. although this one is hopelessly in love since the beginning but act like a total scumbag to protect the said "my person"

[salayy]

The numerous shots of Saeon's hands and his wedding ring. The director knows what we the people need.

[skulandcrossbones]

Have you ever thought, even just once, that I might not be the person you hate? WHEN THE PHONE RINGS S01E10

[mirambles]

Chae Soo Bin as Hong Hee Joo

Never getting over how Chae Soo Bin emoted in this scene. Hong Hee Joo was all teary eyed , overwhelmed seeing how her love has always had eyes only for her. The feeling of being loved was so alien to her entire life and now it’s overflowing from Baek Saeon. I will never stop saying how tender and soft their moments of realising each other’s love have been in this drama.

Well done to her, the writer and director 👏🏼

Gif credit @liveasbutterflies

[sunlighthroughthe-ashes]

this is one of the most powerful shots of the entire show — sa-eon looking up at the largest; most loved presence in his life: heejoo; his one and only family. his beloved wife.

the use of his shadow here is entirely intentional: sa-eon is nothing more than a dark cut-out against the light of his wife's smile: indicating that he has always needed to be surrounded by her illumination to survive. to live.

heejoo has always been the lighthouse offering him a path home — the watchtower keeping vigil over him. see how he looks at her; with all the longing and shattered hope of a hundred brokenhearted poets: trusting that she can still guide him. trusting that she will restore in him his sense of direction.

sa-eon has done something extraordinary for the only love of his life in this episode: he has taken his public persona; a mask that he has been forced to wear for over a decade — and cast it completely aside for heejoo. he has declared to the world at large without a trace of hesitation that the only identity that matters to him; the only identity he cares about — is his existence as heejoo's husband.

even love touches the feet of such devotion.

i'm reminded of this line i read a long time ago when i think about the sheer reverence in sa-eon's gaze when he tells heejoo that his false life was given to him to meet her: "i love you more than the sun."

which is to say; i love you more than life. i love you more than the energy in the universe. i love you more than heat and warmth. i love you.

[ditzybea]

I finally broke down and started When the Phone Rings, and I'm loving it! As I knew I would! Now I have to wait for the last 2 episodes.

But I had a funny thought as I was watching. During the first half of the series, this bastard (affectionately) was in a high stakes drama.

And this bitch (also affectionately) was in a full blown comedy!

And it just works and makes it so much better!

[midwesthoughts]

I saw some quotes on my Pinterest and just knew they were Seon x Heejoo CODED

and i have to tag @procrastaenating because it's basically inspired from you.. I hope you like it 🫣🫶🏻

[iamcatmansblog]

You all just need to mark my words here (since I was already damn right about the kiss thing SIR PLEASE?????) Hee Joo would really REALLY GO TO TOWN ON Paek sa on when given the opportunity

Exhibit A: what DO YOU THINK is the probability of her literary falling full stop on his lips like that? Mathematically speaking

Exhibit B: my kinky queen just hugged and cuddled a drunk man who confessed his love to her and fell asleep on the floor like please you all the makers aren’t even trying to hide that we had got it all wrong at the beginning it’s not paek sa on who’s the wattpad coded alpha mafia husband ITS HEE JOO

I can go on and on but, like please one of her primary complaints about their marriage was that they didn’t get to sleep in the same room?? (Girl I get it) and when he asks with the bedroomist eyes known to mankind “would you want that?” SHE NEVER SAYS NO?????? (He Joo is one of us )

And I just hope the kdrama society of girlies (gender neutrally obvi) forever remembers that he Joo never stopped him from from undressing the bow tie on her neck and checking her wound

And was not even slightly concerned, mad isn’t even on the table with us, when he was trying to check if she actually had a mole on her thigh so

Yeah

[yvanilleee]

He's so pookie y'all i can't 😭🎀

[salayy]

When the Phone Rings episode 7:

[fictionalbond]

Episode 12 of When the Phone Rings is the perfect definition of « Men will do anything but go to therapy »